The mission of the Buddy Holly Center is to provide world-renowned interactive and dynamic exhibits and programs on Texas Music and contemporary visual arts. The Center collects, preserves and presents artifacts, materials, artworks, and exhibitions consistent with professional museum standards. Programs are designed to motivate public interest and cultivate an atmosphere where art and music collide- leading toward a creative community. The vision of the Buddy Holly Center is to discover art through music by celebrating legacy, culture and community.

Exhibitions and programs reflect the diverse cultural characteristics of the region and encourage interaction between artists and the community. The Center collects, preserves and interprets artifacts relevant to Lubbock's most famous native son, Buddy Holly, as well as to other performing artists and musicians of West Texas. Changing exhibitions in the visual arts provide an arena for celebrating the technical virtuosity and creative talents of fine artists at work in a region distinguished by vast distances and a rich tradition of creative resources.